Next phase part of effort to boost manpower on streets

It's all part of an effort by the Police Department to increase manpower on the streets of New Orleans. Officials said that with the exception of the Eighth District, all police stations will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

Only one of eight police stations across the city will be open to the public after 10 p.m., seven days a week, beginning Monday, the New Orleans Police Department said.

It's all part of an effort by the Police Department to increase manpower on the streets of New Orleans. Officials said that with the exception of the Eighth District, all police stations will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

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Police Superintendent Michael Harrison announced the plan this year in addition to other redeployment strategies like moving officers from desk rolls back to the streets, increasing police presence in neighborhoods and a City Council-approved ordinance to impose penalties for false burglar alarms.

Officials said the officers and supervisors will still have access to the buildings, but the public will not have access between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The Eighth District, which oversees areas of the French Quarter and downtown, will remain unchanged.

“Right now, night watch desk officers answer one call for service every other day,” Harrison said. “Their time is better spent away from the desk and on the streets patrolling our neighborhoods."

Officials said the redeployment strategy will an additional 10 officers to patrols. The Police Department has redeployed 86 officers since it began its plan to increase manpower in the city's neighborhoods.

"Our goal is to put more officers on patrol to reduce our response times and combat violent crime across the city, and we will make it happen by continuing to identify and implement smart deployment strategies that help us use our resources efficiently," Harrison said.

Harrison said the police stations have posted signs in English, Spanish and Vietnamese to notify residents and visitors about the changes.

More information about the Police Department can be found online.

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